BBB introduces customer reviews
If you are searching for background information on a company before you hire them for any work involving your home, you may be curious as to how past customers feel about the business’ services.
Of course, we always encourage consumers to check for references before making a significant purchasing decision, but the Better Business Bureau of Houston and South Texas also has started a new service that can help consumers in reviewing and selecting businesses for their home improvement needs.
On March 17, 2015, BBB added Customer Reviews to our current reports on businesses, and since then, we have received over 950 reviews for both Accredited and non-Accredited Businesses. Customer Reviews are an extra tool in a consumer’s toolbox, allowing consumers access to more information, based on prior customer experience, before making a purchase. These reviews also indicate to potential clients how well a business serves its customers.
Customers Reviews submitted to the BBB may be positive, negative or neutral, and BBB team members verify each Customer Review to determine that real marketplace interactions have occurred. The review is forwarded to the business, which is allowed the opportunity to confirm the reviewer as an actual customer; both the business and reviewer have the opportunity to submit comments on the review. Inappropriate language and personal information such as names, addresses and phone numbers are redacted to protect the privacy of the parties involved, and the review is then posted to the company’s BBB Business Review.
Susan Schade, BBB’s senior director of dispute resolution/alternative dispute resolution, oversees this process and offers the following tips for consumers when filing a review:
Please make sure that when filing with the BBB Houston that you are not seeking a resolution. If so you will want to file a complaint. The BBB will only process one or the other but not both, review and complaint.
Once a customer has filed a review they must click on the link in the verification email or your review will not be posted.
If a business asks you to file a positive review and offers something for that review, please refuse. The BBB does not allow for a paid review to be posted.
Only one review per customer is allowed for a specific company.
Remember: In a review, even if you are upset over a business’ customer service, and not happy with the way you were treated, keep it clean.
BBB Houston does not post anony- mous reviews, so if you wish to voice opinion, you must put your name on it.
Customer Reviews may be accessed by pulling up any business’ BBB Business Review at BBBHouston.org, where you will find a summary of the Customer Reviews received and can read each one to learn more about the customer’s experience in dealing with the business.
The Better Business Bureau is an unbiased nonprofit organization which sets and upholds standards for fair and honest business behavior. Every year, more than 87 million consumers rely on BBB Business Reviews and BBB Wise Giving Reports to help them find trustworthy businesses and charities across North America. For information or to check the reliability of a company and find trustworthy businesses, visit www.bbbhouston.org or give us a call at 713-868-9500. Leah Napoliello is senior director of Investigative Services with the Better Business Bureau of Greater Houston and South Texas. Send questions to Leah Napoliello, Better Business Bureau, 1333 West Loop South, Suite 1200, Houston, TX 77027, or e-mail her at lnapoliello@bbbhou.org. Include mailing address and phone number on letters and emails.